Dogs, Water, Fire, Rules and Other Things You Need To Know

DOGS

Yes we are the most pet friendly village in Australia all year round – but rules still apply. Here they are. If you have a hunting dog or banned breed – clearly your dog is not welcome here (or probably anywhere else). So no barking or aggressive dogs (the first is really really annoying and the ‘Village Sheriff’ (aka Lord of the Universe) will come and tell you off, and if you have an aggressive dog you will quite simply be asked to leave. Any dog that acts aggressively to other dogs, children or people is not welcome.

Our property is an eco paradise, filled with wallabies, birds, echidnas and other wonderful native wildlife. You must have your dog on a lead at all times when in the Village.

Dogs are not allowed anywhere within the Richmond River Nature Reserve — that includes the road from our Village to the South Wall, land either side of that and South Ballina beach. That is the beach in front of us, but the beach to the South of us (Patches Beach) is pet friendly – and no you can’t walk there. You need to drive – our friendly staff will gladly show you the map and point the way. Patches Beach also has 4 WD access.

At GREAT EXPENSE we provide poooooo bags everywhere for you dog. Make sure you use them to pick up the poo. Otherwise the Sheriff (and probably your neighbours) will descend on you. It won’t be pretty. So do the right thing!

Dogs are welcome in cabins, but you must bring their bedding, and absolutely not let them on the furniture. Please ensure that they have current flea treatments. If you leave fleas behind we will charge you for the cost of pest extermination.

Please do not leave your dog unattended in the Village as they will kick up a fuss, and we will have to ring you. That is really annoying for you, and us.

Lastly, we do take a $50 doggie “good behaviour” bond – this will be forfeited if these simple rules are not followed.

Help us to remain pet friendly by doing the right things, and then you dog will always be welcome (as will you will be).

OTHER ANIMALS

Ring us and we will discuss it with you.

Zebras, lions, giraffes, snakes and rhinos are all by special arrangement. Caged birds are generally OK. Please don’t let your caged birds out – there was a nasty accident with a python one year! Gruesome actually.

book your next pet and family friendly holiday adventure with us today

WATER

On site we have two types of water. Our rainwater is collected from every roof, double filtered and then sterilised with UV light before arriving at your tap – either in the swan neck taps in the cabins (without the hot water tap) or directly to your hose attachment on a powered site. So please don’t wash your vehicles with it! Our water is hand collected by maidens at full moon and therefore there isn’t a dam full. Use sparingly.

We also have bore water which is filtered at many stages and then sterilised with a small amount of chlorine which we use for the washing up taps, showers, bathrooms in the cabins. This is quite potable but is highly mineralised (in fact it is quite good for you with high levels of calcium and magnesium) but frankly tastes awful. USE OUR WATER WISELY – it is a precious commodity. Please no long showers. So in the cabins if it has a hot water tap it is bore water, if no hot water then it is rain water.

FIRES

Dear guests, we think fires are just wonderful. It is a fantastic experience for the whole family to sit around a camp fire, but here are the rules and you must strictly adhere to them for safety reasons:-

Fire must be in a brazier with legs and a solid pan to catch all the ashes and coals. We ask that you bring only this type of fire device as we don’t want large holes burnt in our nice grass, or lumpy bits of coal left behind. Also fires are potentially dangerous and kids and pets especially need to have their feet and hands protected from hot coals and ashes. No exceptions. We can rent braziers to you – at busy times good idea to book ahead.

You can have a fire in a brazier at all times of the year, except when there is a fire risk and fires are not permitted (please check the NSW Rural Fire Service website to see what the status of area is regarding fire risk for the weekend you are camping http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/dsp_content.cfm?cat_id=683. Also, as we have a micro climate at the village on some days when there isn’t a NSW Rural Fire Service no fire day, we will have to enforce one. Very high winds in particular are extremely dangerous – so we will ask you not to light your fires on those sorts of days, and we expect you to comply. Remember at Christmas and Easter when it is really very busy, your smoking fire going directly into your neighbours tent will not be appreciated it. Locate it well or you will be told to put it out.

Fire wood. You cannot bring in outside firewood. You definitely cannot use any sort of treated pine or other treated wood. This is toxic and poisonous (arsenic etc) and poses a great risk to health (yes people are hospitalised). You cannot go and break branches off (or worse chainsaw them off) our trees or from the neighbouring national park. Only burn the wood that is sold at the kiosk, or that is prepacked and cut to small lengths.

Wood chopping. Wood chopping or chain sawing is not permitted at the village. The noise is disturbing and the wood chopping potentially dangerous. Especially if you have been drinking! Please we value your limbs!

Placement of brazier. Do not put it under trees or any sort of built structure or an a deck (or as one woman did in her cabin). You will start a fire! Please ensure that your brazier smoke is not disturbing your neighbours. Be mindful of wind and placement.

Fires must be put out if directed by the management to do so.

Empty the cold ashes from the brazier into the ash bins at the garbage bin bays around the park. DO NOT place the ashes into the plastic garbage bins (as it causes a 10 metre pyre of flames especially if placed on wet nappies – which also makes it very smelly). You will set the bin and its content on fire.

HIRE A BRAZIER FOR $10 PER DAY, FIREWOOD FOR SALE FOR $16 FOR A 20KG BAG.

Sorry for all the rules folks, but as you can see not everyone is savvy when it comes to fires. We only have these rules so that everyone can enjoy this wonderful experience. We have seen some very funny and also seriously dangerous things here – so please be careful at all times with fire. It is your safety and welfare that we are thinking of.

BEING CONSIDERATE

Yes camping is special, it is fun, and yes you can drive people crazy by being really inconsiderate. Things like playing your music/radio really loudly from 5, 6, 7 or even 8 am in the morning is like to create camper rage! Please enjoy your entertainment quietly – no need to share. No need to entertain the whole Village. Come night time we would like you all to be as quiet as mice after 10pm. This is for two reasons firstly, you will annoy the Village Sheriff (the manager/Lord of the Universe) who will come down and read you the riot act, and secondly you will annoy other campers! If you are a first time offender you will be warned and if you are a recidivist offender you will be evicted. Remember mothers who are sleep deprived are not nice people, you do not want to have to deal with an angry mother in the middle of the night (nor do we!).

LANGUAGE AND BEHAVIOUR

Young men in particular don’t know how loud their voices are! Or, how bad in some cases their language is. We will warn you first, but evict you second! Aggressive, criminal or behaviour that is in any way antisocial or threatening will be treated with zero tolerance. You will be evicted. No refunds!

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Please take the time to read through our extensive terms and conditions (all 12 pages of them). They will cure all forms of insomnia and also outline just about every aspect of staying with us and breaking the rules and the consequences of. Our terms and conditions is at the bottom of the website as a link.

DIRECTIONS & LOCATIONS

We can be found at 440 South Ballina Beach Road, South Ballina on the other side of the Richmond River from Ballina itself, and can be reached in three ways (please note GPS systems are notoriously unreliable in finding us). See location in Google Maps

TRAVELLING SOUTH

There is a new Ballina Bypass that has just opened. The quickest way to get to us now is to stay on the freeway, and take the 2nd Ballina Exit (River Street, but not Tamarind Drive that will take you through Ballina). Take the left hand exit at the roundabout interchange as you come off the freeway and head north. You will come to the first roundabout, and take the right hand road into Burns Point Ferry Road (you will be able to see the Big Prawn on your left one block up). Drive on to the Ferry (leaves every few minutes, drive on drive off, $6.00 per vehicle). Take the first left hand turn into South Ballina Beach Road., we are the last place on the right, look for the flags on the fence.

TRAVELLING SOUTH THROUGH BALLINA

If you want to do some shopping on your way into Ballina, take the first Ballina exit which is Tamarind Drive exit, and follow the road into Ballina. You will find the main road passes between two major shopping centres (Ballina Fair should be on your right). To get to us, follow the signs pointing to Grafton (i.e. head south), as you head down river drive you will cross the river, then see McDonalds on your left, and a few blocks down THE BIG PRAWN will appear on your right. Take the next left after the Big Prawn called Burns Point Ferry Road., go to the end, drive onto the ferry and cross to the other side. Take the first left into South Ballina Beach Road., and to the end until you see the flags.

FROM BALLINA AFTER THE FERRY CLOSES

Drive south to Wardell, and after the Wardell bridge take the first turn on the left into River Road – drive to the end (about 30kms) and take the last turn on your right into South Ballina Beach Road there is a small street sign pointing up the road that says CARAVAN PARKS. Go to the end until you see the flags.

TRAVELLING NORTH ON THE PACIFIC HIGHWAY

Turn right into River Drive, before crossing the Wardell Bridge. If you cross the bridge then you will have to go all the way to Ballina. When you turn into River Drive, keep the river on your left until you come to almost the end of the road (just before the ferry launch area) and turn right into South Ballina Beach Road (there is a small road sign saying caravan parks).

THE BALLINA FERRY ACROSS THE RICHMOND RIVER.

Most people, visitors and locals alike use the ferry to cross the Richmond River, which is at the end of Burns Point Ferry Road, about 10 minutes from the centre of Ballina. The turn off is left, off the Pacific Highway about 300m south of the Big Prawn complex in West Ballina. After a brief ferry ride, take the first turn left about 200m from the ferry. Our Park is the second one along about 4.4km (please note we are not SEABREEZE Caravan Park). Just a note about the car ferry, it happily takes very large rigs but if you have a low riding towing vehicle, then be sure to pull off and inspect the ferry access prior to getting on just in case you think it will bottom out. We recommend that you cross onto the ferry using a diagonal approach to minimize scrapping if you do take the ferry and to come at high tide if you have concerns, when there is less of a dip onto the car ferry ramp. It costs $5 per vehicle to cross. Weekly and quarterly passes are available.

The ferry operates from 5.30am to MIDNIGHT daily.

It is only closed on the second Tuesday of each month from 9am to 12 noon.
The 5/10 minute trip (DEPENDING ON WHICH FERRY DRIVER YOU GET) across the Richmond River is well worthwhile just for the tranquil view it gives of Ballina itself and really sets the mood for your beautifully relaxing break at our wilderness holiday park.

DISTANCE TO SHOPS AND TOWN

The Ballina Beach Village is 4.9kms to the nearest shopping complex (just near the ferry with Bunnings, West Tower Tavern, Dan Murphys, Spar supermarket, newsagent, doctors,chemist etc. We are then about 9kms from the centre of town or to the two large shopping complexes with cinema, pool and gym.
LATE CHECK INS: If you are going to check in after 5pm please ensure that you phone ahead to arrange your check in prior to arrival. Ph. 0266863347.

What to do here

South Ballina fishing is legendary – and you can fish from the river rock wall, beach or river bank. Surfing is great. 4 wheel beach driving is awesome (no permit required). Cycling is excellent – great roads and wonderful scenery. Kayak the extraordinary Richmond River. Bush walking is great too. On site we offer activities like circus, flying trapeze, African drumming, Bollywood dancing, free music entertainment at night, lots of kids activities and more during school holidays. Check out our Facebook page www.facebook.com.au/ballinabeachvillage. We have two pools, a playground and 3 amenities blocks on site. Our cafe provides freshly prepared a la carte and take away meals and of course great espresso. A kiosk, bait and tackle, ice, compressor, large camp kitchen with free BBQ’s, playground and large group activities hall complement your experience.

IN CONCLUSION – 3% of the population cause 85% of the crime. That means that statistically you are more than likely to have a wonderful time with us and we will deal quietly with the 3% that cause the problems. Enjoy and if there is anything that our wonderful staff can help you with don’t hesitate to ask.